DEVICES WITH AN ERODIBLE SURFACE FOR DELIVERING AT LEAST ONE ACTIVE AGENT TO TISSUE OVER A PROLONGED PERIOD OF TIME

• US 20120109054A1
• Filed: 10/29/2011
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Amorphex Therapeutics Llc
• Original Assignee: Vista Scientific, LLC
• Inventors: Leahy, Charles D., Ellis, Edward J., Thompson, Robert F.
• Application Number:
  US13/284,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20120109054A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/93.01
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0031 made from both resorbable and non-resorbable prosthetic parts, e.g. adjacent parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0068 the pharmaceutical product being in a reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0017 implantable in, or in contact with, the eye, e.g. ocular inserts
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 9/0051 Ocular inserts, ocular implants

Abstract

A device is disclosed for delivering an active agent to target tissue at a site that includes a bodily fluid. The device includes a body that has an erodible member that releases the active agent over a prescribed period of time.

Claims

1. A device for delivering an active agent to target tissue over a prescribed period of time to target tissue, the device comprising:

a body;

a depot that contains active agent and is supported by the body, the depot including a first surface; and

an erodible member disposed at least along a portion of the first surface of the depot, the erodible member having a varying thickness across the first surface of the depot so as to control the release of the active agent from the depot over the prescribed period of time.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the body is configured for placement in the eye and the erodible member is formed of a material that erodes over time in ocular fluid.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the body includes a local recessed area that receives the depot with the erodible member being exposed along an exterior of the body.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the first surface has a convex shape with the erodible member being at a minimum thickness at an apex of the depot.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the erodible member has a greater thickness at peripheral edges of the depot.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of depots and a plurality of associated erodible members, the erodible members having different cross-sectional profiles so as to provide different release profiles over time for the active agent.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein at least one erodible member is constructed to dispense the active agent immediately upon placement at a site that includes bodily fluids.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the first surface is non-planar in nature and an inner surface of the erodible member is non-planar in nature and has an opposite profile relative to the first surface of the depot, while an outer surface of the erodible member is at least substantially planar.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the first surface has a concave shape with the erodible member being at a maximum thickness at a center of the depot.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the erodible member is formed of a material that prevents the active agent from passing therethrough prior to at least a portion of the erodible member eroding to a degree that an open conduit is formed through the erodible member to the exterior.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the erodible member has a non-uniform cross-sectional profile that is selected in view of a desired release rate of the active agent relative to the prescribed period of time.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the depot and erodible member are stable outside of the body of the device and represent an insert that can be disposed within a local recessed area formed in the body.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein an exterior surface of the body of the device includes a recessed open canal formed therein, the canal being open at least at one end and along a top thereof, the canal intersecting the local recessed area so as to guide bodily fluid into contact with the erodible member.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the first surface of the depot faces the target tissue when the device is applied.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the erodible member is formed along the entire first surface so as to completely cover the depot.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the erodible member does not cover the entire first surface of the depot, thereby leaving an area of the depot to be exposed to the exterior.

17. An ocular device for delivering an active agent to scleral tissue over a prescribed period of time to target tissue, the device comprising:

a body;

a depot that contains active agent and is supported by the body, the depot including a first surface; and

an erodible member disposed at least along a portion of the first surface of the depot, the erodible member having a varying thickness across the first surface of the depot so as to control the release of the active agent from the depot over the prescribed period of time.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the erodible member is disposed along additional surfaces of the depot besides the first surface.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein the erodible member is formed along the entire first surface so as to completely cover the depot.

20. The device of claim 17, wherein the erodible member does not cover the entire first surface of the depot, thereby leaving an area of the depot to be exposed to the exterior.

21. The device of claim 17, wherein the body includes a local recessed area that receives the depot with the erodible member being exposed along an exterior of the body.

22. The device of claim 17, wherein the first surface has a convex shape with the erodible member being at a minimum thickness at an apex of the depot.

23. The device of claim 17, wherein the erodible member is formed of a material that prevents the active agent from passing therethrough prior to at least a portion of the erodible member eroding to a degree that an open conduit is formed through the erodible member to the exterior.

24. The device of claim 17, wherein the erodible member has a non-uniform cross-sectional profile that is selected in view of a desired release rate of the active agent relative to the prescribed period of time.